Nottingham Forest were extremely active during the summer transfer window and Aitor Karanka’s new-look charges currently sit fifth in the Championship.

It has taken the Reds a little while to start clicking into gear with so many new recruits within their ranks, but last weekend’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough sent out a firm message to the rest of the division.

With an ambitious hierarchy in place at the City Ground it seems likely that the club’s Spanish boss will receive another bounty of cash to spend during the January transfer window.

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

One or two more players arriving on Trentside would allow the Reds to steal a march on their promotion rivals and would also ensure that the squad is in the healthiest possible state ahead of the run in.

With a plethora of talent already at Karanka’s disposal it seems likely that he would only go for players who can come into the club and make an instant impact.

One man who fits that billing is Middlesbrough striker Rudy Gestede and having fallen down the pecking order at the Riverside Stadium, a move to the East Midlands seems to represent a realistic signing for Forest to press ahead with once the transfer window opens.

The Benin international stepped off the bench against Forest on Saturday to play his first minutes of Championship football of the campaign and it doesn’t appear that the 30-year-old will feature too heavily in the north east.

Forest currently have the in-form Lewis Grabban and veteran Daryl Murphy to choose from in attack and some additional competition for places up front wouldn’t go a miss.

Karanka has a good track record of working his magic during the mid-season transfer window. During the 2015/16 campaign he paid big money to take the prolific Jordan Rhodes to the Riverside Stadium, with the Scotland striker netting six important goals to steer Boro towards promotion to the Premier League.

A similar impact in January 2019 would delight those of a Nottingham Forest persuasion.